title: Comprehensive management of pressure ulcers in spinal cord injury: current concepts and future trends.
abstract: Pressure ulcers in spinal cord injury represent a challenging problem for patients, their caregivers, and their physicians. They often lead to recurrent hospitalizations, multiple surgeries, and potentially devastating complications. They present a significant cost to the healthcare system, they require a multidisciplinary team approach to manage well, and outcomes directly depend on patients' education, prevention, and compliance with conservative and surgical protocols. With so many factors involved in the successful treatment of pressure ulcers, an update on their comprehensive management in spinal cord injury is warranted. Current concepts of local wound care, surgical options, as well as future trends from the latest wound healing research are reviewed to aid medical professionals in treating patients with this difficult problem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Pressure Ulcer Management Service, Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, Downey, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Erwin A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Kruger
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, Downey, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Marilyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, Downey, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Yvette
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ngann
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, Downey, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sterling
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Pressure Ulcer Management Service, Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, Downey, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Salah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rubayi
mesh_terms: D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000628:therapy; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications*